Abstract: Objective To observe clinical efficacy of Liqi Huayu Xiaozhong Decoction in liver cirrhosis
patients with ascites. Methods A total of 102 liver cirrhosis patients with ascites in Tongling Traditional
Chinese Medicine Hospital, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to
December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into Western medicine control
group (51 cases) and integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment group (51 cases) according
to the treatment method. Patients in Western medicine control group received conventional Western
medicine treatment such as diuresis, liver protection and antiviral therapy. Patients in integrated Chinese
and Western medicine treatment group were treated with Liqi Huayu Xiaozhong Decoction on the basis
of Western medicine control group. The traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores of patients in
two groups were compared before and after 12 weeks of treatment. Liver function indicators [alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBil), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (ALB)],
fasting body mass, abdominal circumference, ascites depth and inflammatory indicators [including
interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] between the two groups before treatment,
6 weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of treatment were compared. The occurrence of adverse reactions
were recorded. Results At 12 weeks of treatment, the traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores
of abdominal distension (median: 0 score vs. 2 scores), rib pain (median: 0 score vs. 2 scores), dark
complexion (median: 0 score vs. 2 scores), thirst and reluctance to drink (median: 0 score vs. 2 scores)
of patients in integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment group were significantly lower than
those of Western medicine control group (all P < 0.05). At 6 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment, the
fasting weight [6 weeks: (64.25 ± 5.41) kg vs. (67.47 ± 6.29) kg; 12 weeks: (60.53 ± 6.78) kg vs. (63.35 ± 6.43) kg],
abdominal circumference [6 weeks: (88.76 ± 6.90) cm vs. (91.51 ± 4.36) cm; 12 weeks: (82.55 ±
7.65) cm vs. (86.27 ± 8.09) cm] and ascites depth [6 weeks: (3.35 ± 1.32) cm vs. (4.31 ± 1.59) cm;
12 weeks: (1.41 ± 0.50) cm vs. (3.39 ± 2.15) cm] of patients in integrated Chinese and Western medicine
treatment group were significantly lower than those of Western medicine control group (all P < 0.05).
At 6 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment, ALT [6 weeks: (87.69 ± 15.41) U/L vs. (102.15 ± 18.64) U/L;
12 weeks: (62.56 ± 6.48) U/L vs. (75.39 ± 9.55) U/L], AST [6 weeks: (54.96 ± 12.51) U/L vs. (69.15 ±
13.47) U/L; 12 weeks: (37.02 ± 10.69) U/L vs. (45.29 ± 11.87) U/L] and TBil [6 weeks: (36.87 ±
10.32) μmol/L vs. (42.16 ± 9.78) μmol/L; 12 weeks: (27.61 ± 7.47) μmol/L vs. (34.02 ± 8.69) μmol/L]
levels of patients in integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment group were significantly lower
and ALB levels [6 weeks: (32.51 ± 3.65) g/L vs. (30.14 ± 2.45) g/L; 12 weeks: (42.59 ± 5.84) g/L vs.
(35.61 ± 3.69) g/L] were significantly higher than those of Western medicine control group (all P <
0.05). At 6 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment, IL-6 [6 weeks: (35.74 ± 4.63) ng/L vs. (41.08 ± 5.38) ng/L;
12 weeks: (20.69 ± 2.79) ng/L vs. (32.57 ± 4.20) ng/L] andT NF-α [6 weeks: (48.63 ± 6.19) ng/L vs. (53.84 ±
7.35) ng/L; 12 weeks: (29.20 ± 4.06) ng/L vs. (38.75 ± 5.34) ng/L] levels of patients in integrated
Chinese and Western medicine treatment group were significantly lower than those of Western medicine
control group (all P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse
reactions between the two groups of patients (3.92% vs. 1.96%; χ2 = 0.350, P = 0.554). Conclusions
Liqi Huayu Xiaozhong Decoction can effectively improve the condition and liver function of liver
cirrhosis patients with ascites, reduce their fasting weight, abdominal circumference and depth of ascites,
and is beneficial for reducing inflammatory reactions, with good medication safety.
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